Comparison оf Secondary Nucleation Processes during Diamond Synthesis in Microwave Plasma in H2–CH4–N2 and H2–CH4–NH3 Gas Mixtures

Abstract

For the first time, the secondary diamond nucleation processes are compared during the growth of polycrystalline diamond films by the MPCVD method with addition of nitrogen and ammonia. An ammonia molecule (NH₃) has a lower ionization energy than a nitrogen molecule (N₂) in microwave plasma. It has been established that when using ammonia, the transition to the nanocrystalline structure of diamond occurs at significantly lower concentrations than when using nitrogen.